Spike-lock.



PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

H. S. WATERMAN.

Ma ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SPIKE-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Nov. 28, 1905.

Application filed May 15, 1905. Serial No. 260,498.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY S. WATERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Tavvas, in the county of Iosco and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spike-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is a spike-lock and pertains to certain improvements in a spike-lock of the class described in my application, Serial No. 252,028, filed March 25, 1905, in which device the spike is locked by driving it through an opening provided in a plate beneath the rail in such a manner that the edges of the opening will firmly grip the sides of the spike when it is attempted to withdraw the spike.

The presentimprovement consists in a modification of the device above referred to, which device consists in a metal plate provided with an opening through which the spike is driven. The plate at one or more sides of the opening is slit to form a tongue orlip, the object of which is to lock the spike and prevent its Withdrawal from the opening until released by breaking or springing'the lips beyond their elastic limit.

The improvement is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the railflange, tie-plate, tie, spike, and spike-lock 'assembled, the parts being somewhat distorted for the purpose of better illustration. Fig. 2

'is a perspective view showing the manner of applying the spike-lock.

As in my previous invention above referred to, the device consists in a metal plate 1, having an opening 1, provided with a tongue or lip 1 The plate may be inserted between the tie 4 and the tie-plate 2.

In my present improved form instead of entirely severing the metal punched to form the opening 1I bend this metal, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,to form theupwardly-projecting flange A. This flange is the one change from the construction described in my application above referred to; but it possesses two important advantages. First, it serves as a gage by which the spike-lock can be accurately located with reference to the flange of the rail 3, and, second, and still more important from a practical point of view, the flange A acts as a guard to protect the throat of the spike from abrasion by the rail-flange. As is well known in railroad practice, the vertical vibration of the railflange when a train passes over the rails wears the throat of the spike until in some cases the head of the spike is completely severed. The flange A of the spike-lock extends between the throat of the spike and the rail-flange, and thus acts as a wearing-surface.

The flange in no way alters the locking function of the device. The flange is simply turned up on the edge, as shown in the drawings,.instead of being completely punched out of the plate.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A spike-lock of the class described having an upwardly-projecting flange at one edge of the spike opening for the purposes set forth.

2. A spike-lock comprising a plate having a spike-opening and having one edge formed with a locking-tongue and one edge formed with an upwardly-projecting flange.

3. A spike-lock comprising a plate having a spike-opening; a locking-tongue at one side of said opening adapted to engage the back of the spike; and an upwardly-projecting flange at the opposite edge of said opening and adapt ed to engage the throat of the spike.

4. A spike-lock comprising a plate having a spike-opening; a locking-tongue at one side of said opening adapted to engage the back of the spike; and an upwardly-projecting flange formed integral with said plate at the opposite edge of said opening and adapted to engage the throat of the spike.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY S. WATERMAN. 

